battery or alternator?????

I was driving four days ago, and my car just completely quit on me and locked up and I had trouble even breaking safely. tried starting it and it didnt turn over. and tried three times and was weaker at trying to start each time. was low on gas so thats what I had originally thought it was. So threw ten bucks in, and still didnt start. so got a jump and it went for the next four days fine. So then The next time I have had this issue, I just shut it off getting gas. Restarted 2 min later and was dead again. this time I was not actually driving. Got a jump there again, drove fine, and am home with no probs. Just curious if this seems more of an alternator issue, or battery.

23 Answers

I'd look at the oil? do you gots any oil in there?....please, also there
should be the proper level of coolant between "full hot" and "full cold"
on your translucent reservoir...thinking the motor is locking up but
1996 tells me it's an OLD battery already...spend $120 on an
Interstate battery...these things are awesome and me pops works for
them too---NAPA, Prestolite or any one with a five year guarantee is
acceptable~....but you need a new battery now...hopefully there isn't
damage to your alternator...good luck~

batteries will degrade 10% per year (refuse to accept a charge) so in ten
years either the alternator will fail from excessive demands or will stop
performing altogether...which is where you are at....there are "knock off"
stickers on the top of your battery which say what day the first charge
happened~ GET A NEW ONE!

well on a budget....just get a good one, power brakes are driven by engine
vacuum and if there ain't none, there will be no brakes (or NO assist)~
still "locked up" worries me...like there wasn't any oil in the
engine...please tell me this wasn't the problem~~

yeah it definitely locked when I was driving it, and then when it got jumped it went a good four days without an issue. My husband keeps track of the oil and all of that. But now im worried. hes checking it out at the moment.

well if you've got a hubby, he'd want to make sure that you've got ONLY
the best...will do---make him buy you an interstate battery for your
car...there are tons of shops that will install them for a minimum...is your
engine drippin' the oil...normally we do not need to check it unless it's
gushing outta there~

If your vehicle locked up then it is seized. The engine won't crank.
replace the battery and test for voltage. With the engine running you
should read around 14v - 14.4v. if you don't read that test at the alternator
and see if there is any output voltage. if not replace the alternator.

I had same problem, it was the voltage regulator on the alternator. My car would not charge at idle speed. I could always tell when it was going to go weak, as my battery light would come on...when I would go, raising rpm's it started charging again and battery light went out. I could not run the AC. When I parked for the night, I would rev engine to about 2000 rpms for about a minute. I went for 2 weeks and learned how it worked! Eventually though, it weakened the battery and I had to replace the alternator.

My step daughter had the same problem she change her alternator and her battery and
it still wouldn't start or charge the alternator has a fuse and that was the problem check
the alternator fuse and everything worked fine

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